Volunteer Medics Will Fly This One-of-a-Kind Electric Aircraft

‘Proof-of-concept’ program will put paramedics in the seat of Pivotal’s ultralight electric aircraft.

Jack Daleo

Saturday, March 07, 2026 at 09:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Zach Vasile

Hyde County Emergency Services in North Carolina will evaluate Pivotal’s ultralight electric aircraft for a variety of applications. [Credit: Pivotal]

Key Takeaways:

North Carolina's Hyde County Emergency Services is launching a "proof-of-concept" program where volunteer paramedics and other emergency personnel will utilize ultralight eVTOL aircraft from Pivotal.
The initiative aims to significantly accelerate emergency response times for critical care calls, enhance situational awareness for first responders, and support law enforcement, fire, and search and rescue operations.
These eVTOL aircraft are ultralight (Part 103), require no pilot certification beyond in-house training, and are designed to escort responders and provide aerial support, not transport patients or cargo, enabling rapid deployment without specialized infrastructure.

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Volunteer paramedics in North Carolina will soon take part in a “proof-of-concept” program that will put them in the seat of an ultralight, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

Hyde County Emergency Services in North Carolina will fly the aircraft manufactured by Palo Alto-based Pivotal, which said Friday that the project aims to accelerate emergency response times for “critical care calls.” The aircraft—which lifts off vertically like a helicopter but cruises on fixed tandem wings—will soar over traffic and terrain, the idea being for it to escort first responders to the scene before an ambulance arrives.